HBU-SMU Live StatsHBU-SMU Live VideoHBU-UCA Live StatsMatch NotesDALLAS – HBU men's soccer and SMU play each other regularly in preseason matches and spring friendlies, but Thursday will mark the first time in 27 years the two teams will play in a regular season contest.
HBU and SMU kick off at 7 pm at Wescott Field. Former HBU men's soccer assistant coach Dustin Norman is in his first year as an assistant at SMU. The Mustangs lead the all-time series, 3-0-1. The two teams have not met on the pitch in regular season action since a 2-0 SMU victory in Dallas in 1988. Last year, HBU and SMU met in a preseason exhibition in Dallas. The two teams battled to a 1-1 tie as
Ricky-Paul Mupier scored for the Huskies.
The Huskies close out the non-conference portion of the schedule with a home Sunday afternoon tilt against Central Arkansas at 1 pm at Sorrels Field. Despite playing each other five times, the match will be the first the Bears will face the Huskies in Houston. HBU and UCA last met in Conway in 2013, where the Bears scored midway through the second overtime to win, 2-1.
Last weekend,
Marcelo Acuna had his second 3-point game of the season and scored his second game winner in HBU's (3-3-0) 2-1 win over Milwaukee Friday at the Gonzaga Invitational.
Thilo Borgmann and
Darrell Johnson scored Sunday, but Hartwick tallied the golden goal with 11 seconds left in the second OT to defeat the Huskies, 3-2. On the season, Acuna is second in the WAC, and leads all newcomers, with 10 points on four goals and two assists. He is in the Top 20 nationally in points.
George Kelley scored his third goal of the season in Friday's win.
Philip Poser and
Chance Pope have split time in net. Poser is 1-2-0 with a 0.87 GAA, a .750 save percentage, and one shutout. Pope is 2-1-0 with a 1.69 GAA, and a .667 save percentage. The keepers have combined for one shutout.
SMU (2-2-2) took No. 13 Stanford to the brink before falling in double overtime, 3-2, Sunday at home. Mauro Cichero leads the Mustangs with four goals and 10 points, while Jared Rice's three helpers are tops. In goal, Michael Nelson is 2-2-2 with a 1.51 GAA, a .688 save percentage, and two shutouts.
Central Arkansas (1-4-0) lost to visiting Missouri-Kansas City, 2-1, Saturday. The Bears host Incarnate Word Friday before playing the Huskies. Wes Carson is the Bears' biggest threat, as he has all of the team's goals (4), and eight of the Bears' 13 points. He leads the team with a 70.0 shot on goal percentage. Between the pipes, Harrison Veith is 1-4-0 with a 2.20 GAA and a .676 save percentage.
After this weekend, HBU opens WAC play at UNLV Oct. 2 and Grand Canyon Oct. 4. Both matches are scheduled for 9 pm central time starts.
